Train second SY-2

NG502022

Train second SY-2

Steam Locomotive

The 2378 drifts down Guilford Hill at Code with Second 90, an Indianapolis-Sharon run. (The hill is identified by the name of the little town about 5 1/2 miles upgrade from Lawrenceburg Junction.) This rolling, wooded section of Southeastern Indiana is rather sparsely populated and lacking in public transportation - there are no regular stops on the railroad between Lawrenceburg Junction and Batesville, about 25 miles, nor are there any main highways in the immediate vicinity. The inaccessibility of this land of plenty for steam action resulted, unfortunately, in inadequate photographic coverage. In steam days, the cannonading of doubleheaded freights echoed across the hills anywhere from three to seven times a day, depending on how much coal the L&N was dumping into Riverside. Tonnage ratings on the grade were 1900 for all classes of 4-8-2s and 1800 for H-7 class 2-8-2s (the latter were used mainly as helpers). On coal drags, full tonnage meant only 45 to 48 cars. Nowadays, with ratings of 1800 and 1910 tons, respectively, for EMD F-7 and GP-9 units, a four-unit outfit can come up with 90 to 96 cars - twice as much train with half as many engine crews! A perfect example of diesel efficiency, and another statistical nail in the coffin of steam.

Jeremy Taylor

Jeremy Taylor

2-1/4x3-1/4 neg

Summer 1954

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4-8-2

469

L-2c

#2878

Alco-Schen

Code, IN